Well screen assembly



March 7, 1961 G'. F. ADAMS ErAL wELL SCREEN ASSEMBLY Filed June 25, 1958 INVENTORS G50/@6E f- 4.04MB.

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WELL SCREEN ASSEMBLY George F. Adams and Warren C. Adams, both of Adams Bros. Company, 12492 Highway 64E, Eads, Tenn.

Filed June 25, y1958, Ser. No. 744,449

2 Claims. (Cl. 166--228) The present invention relates generally to a well screen assembly and in particular to a-well screen assembly employing sand or gravel as the iilter element. l

An object of the present invention is to provide a well screen assembly which lends itself to the eiicient removal of sand or rock particles from well water whe such assembly is attached to a well pipe. A.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a well screen assembly having means for coupling several assemblies in multiple form, one which lends itself to fabrication on plastic molding machines from common plastic materials, and one whichis economically feasible. y t

l A further object of the present invention is to provide a well screen assembly which is sturdy in construction, one simple in structure, one which is readily fabricated and assembled, and one which is highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

Figure l is an elevational view in section of the well screen assembly according to the present invention, shown attached to the lower end portion of a well pipe, the well pipe being broken away;

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the reference numeral 1? designates the lower end portion of a well pipe having the well screen assembly 12 of the present invention attached thereto. The assembly 12 is fabricated wholly of plastic material and comprises an upstanding cylindrical open-ended outer shell 14 having the portion adjacent the upper end received within and embraced by a coupling member 16 secured to and projecting from the lower end portion ofthe well pipe 10. An upstanding funnel member 18 is positioned wholly within the outer shell 14 with the large end within and tixedly secured to the outer shell upper end portion, the upper end portion of the funnel member 18 being designated by the reference numeral 2i).

The upper end portion 20 of the funnel member 18 is comformably shaped to fit within the portion of a shell 14 adjacent the upper end of the latter.

The portion 22 of the funnel member 18 adjacent the lower or small end of the funnel member 18 is positioned below and spaced from the upper end of the shell 14.

An inner cylindrical open-ended shell 24 is arranged concentrically within and spaced from the outer shell 14 and has the portion adjacent its upper end extending into and embraced by the lower end portion 22 of the funnel member 18.

Another or second upstanding funnel member 26, of a configuration the same as that of the funnel member 18, is positioned with respect to the outer shell 14 so that tbe large end 28 extends into and is embraced by the rrice portion of the outer shell 14 adjacent the lower, end of the latter. The small end 30 of the second funnel member 26 surrounds and embraces the portion of the inner K shell 24 adjacent the lower end of the latter.

The inner shell 24 and the outer shell 14 are provided with a plurality of slits 32 and 34, respectively, arranged in spaced relation therearound defining ingress openings for water.

The funnel members 18 and 26, with the adjacent parts of the inner shell 24 and outer shell 14, define a closed chamber fully filled with a lter material, the material being designated by the reference numeral 36.

A short length of sleeve 38 is interposed between the small end portion 30 of the funnel member 26 and the adjacent end portion of the inner shell 24.

A valve body 40 extends across the inner shell 24 adjacent the lower open end and is provided with a discharge aperture 42. A valve stem 44 extends through the aperture 42 and carries on its lower end portion exteriorly of the aperture 42 a valve seat 46 normally seated in covering relation with respect to the aperture 42. A conical coil spring 48 is circumposed about the portion of the valve stem 44 above the valve body 40 and has its lower end bearing against the valve body 40 and its upper end bearing against the lower face of a washer and l nut assembly 50 mounted upon the" upper end of the valve stem 44.

The spring 48 biases the valve seat 46 to the closing position and holds the valve against opening until the pressure of the water within the inner shell 24 exceeds the force ofthe spring 48.

It is an important feature of the present invention that the outer shell 14, inner shell 24, and funnel members 18 and 26 are fabricated of plastic molded material and conventional plastic cements are used to xedly secure the upper end portion of the shell 14 to the large end of the funnel member 18 and to the lower end portion of the coupling member 16. Similarly, the lower end portion of the outer shell 14 is cemented tothe large end of the funnel member 26 and the small end portion 22 of the funnel member l18 is tixedly secured by the same plastic cement to the upper end portion of the inner shell 24.

Preferably, a coupling sleeve element 52, of the same diameter as the inner shell 24, is inserted in the open lower end of the sleeve 38 and serves as a means of holding the valve body 40 within the lower end portion of the inner shell 24. The small end portion 30 of the funnel member 26 and the sleeve 38 and the element 52 are cemented together in the conventional manner using a cement appropriate to plastics.

In use, the well screen assembly 12 is attached to the lower end portion of a well pipe 10 by means of a coupling member 16 or other suitable means and the assembly is lowered into a well. The lter material 36 is preferably sand or ne gravel of a size to filter out sand particles in the well and prevent the same or rock particles from reaching the interior of the sleeve 24 along with water withdrawn to the surface of the earth by suit able pumping equipment.

What is claimed is:

1. A well screen assembly comprising an upstanding cylindrical open-ended outer shell having its upper end adapted for attachment to a well pipe, a rst upstanding funnel member having the large end thereof conformably shaped to fit within the portion of said shell adjacent the upper end positioned wholly within said outer shell with the large end within and fixedly secured to the outer shell upper end portion and with the small end below and spaced from the upper end of said shell, an inner cylindrical open-ended shell arranged concentrically within and spaced from said outer shell with the portion adj jacent the upper end extending into and embraced by the small end of said funnel member and fixedly secured to said funnel member, a sleeve fixedly circumposed about and embracing the portion adjacent the lower end of said inner shell,'a second upstanding funnel member of a configuration the same as that of the first funnel member positioned with respect to said outer shell so that the large end extends into and is embraced by the portion of the outer shell adjacent the lower end and fixedly secured to said outer shell and with the small end surrounding and embracing said sleeve and fixedly attached to said sleeve, valve means in the portion adjacent the lower end of said inner shell for controlling the How of fluid, said outer and inner shells, said sleeve, and said first and second funnel members being each fabricated wholly of plastic material, said inner and outer shells being provided with a plurality of slits arranged in spaced relation therearound defining ingress openings for water, said first and second funnel members and the adjacent parts of said outer and inner shells defining a chamber, and filter material wholly filling said chamber.

2. A well screen assembly comprising an upstanding cylindrical open-ended outer shell having its upper end adapted for attachment to a well pipe, a first upstanding funnel member having the large end thereof conformably shaped to fit within the portion of said shell adjacent the upper end positioned wholly within said outer shell with the large end within and fxedly secured to the outer shell upper end portion and with the small end below and spaced from the upper end of said shell, an inner cylindrical open-ended shell arranged concentrically within and spaced from said outer shell with the portion adjacent the upper end extending into and embraced by the small end of said funnel member and fixedly secured to said funnel member, `a sleeve fixedly circumposed about and embracing the portion adjacent the lower end of said inner shell, a second upstanding funnel member of a configuration the same as that of the first funnel member positioned with respect to said outer shell so that the large end extends into and is embraced by the portion of the outer shell adjacent the lower end and Y-.edly secured to said outer shell and with the small end surrounding and embracing said sleeve and fixedly attached to said sleeve, said outer and inner shells, said sleeve, and said first and second funnel members being each fabricated wholly of plastic material, said inner and outer shells being provided with a plurality of slits arranged n spaced relation therearound defining ingress openings for water, said first and second funnel members and the adjacent parts of said outer and inner shells defining a chamber, filter material wholly filling said chamber, a valve body provided with a discharge aperture extending across said inner shell adjacent the lower open end, and a spring-loaded valve normally seated in said aperture, said valve being actuable to unseated position upon flow of liquid under pressure directed against said valve from said discharge aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,260,277 Ranney Mar. 19, 1918 2,257,344 Maloney Sept. 30, 1941 2,303,134 ODannell Nov. 24, 1942 

